I hope everyone in Australia is enjoying the Tour Down Under!  It's been an incredible success this year and it's great to see the big crowds gathering along the race venues.

From the Herald Sun:

...for South Australian sports fans, Australian cycling and the Tour Down Under, it could not have been any more successful.

Another 105,000 people turned out to watch yesterday's fifth stage, at least 10,000 lining both sides of the road several deep at the top of the Old Willunga Hill - a 400m-high, 3km-long torture test that the field was required to tackle twice.

[Lance] Armstrong described the scene as "Tour de France-esque" while Australian Allan Davis, who won the stage and will almost certainly win the Tour, said he had never seen a crowd like it.

Beginning with a massive 138,000 for the race prelude, a street criterium last Sunday night, the Armstrong magnetism has now lured 609,000 people over six days, according to official estimates.

That's already more than the 530,000 the entire race pulled last year and another six-figure top-up is expected for today's finale.

On those numbers it can claim to be among the most popular sports events held in Australia.